SBAR essentials, on the SBAR resource hub, provides key advice on ensuring the purposeful use of spending the funding, and provides examples of effective practice for schools. Effective use of funding and resources provides more information about using your equity loading and targeted funding in school planning.

Low level adjustment for disability funding

The low level adjustment for disability funding is provisioned through the equity loadings in the school budget allocation. This includes a specialist teacher allocation and annual flexible funding. Schools should use these resources as part of the total school budget to provide support for their students as identified through your data sources.

Funds are provided to support students with additional learning and support needs in all mainstream schools to:

• improve student outcomes
• strengthen capacity to meet obligations to students under the Commonwealth Disability Standards for Education 2005
• raise the expectations of students, teachers, executive, parents and carers, and school communities
• strengthen partnerships between schools and parents and carers
• increase levels of student participation and engagement in learning
• ensure teaching and learning meets the needs of every student
• enhance specialist provisions available in every school
• improve access to specialist and other supports for students and their teachers within schools.

Integration funding support

Students who have a confirmed disability may also be eligible for targeted funding integration funding support which supports them to participate in education in regular settings.

Students in regular classes with confirmed disability and who require moderate to high levels of adjustment access Integration Funding Support. Allocations are provided to schools to make adjustments to:

• improve student outcomes by enabling access to the full school experience for students with disability on the same basis as their peers
• strengthen capacity of schools to meet obligations to students under the Commonwealth Disability Standards for Education 2005
• strengthen partnerships between schools and parents and carers
• increase levels of student participation and engagement in learning
• improve the quality of teaching and learning for students with disability
• improve access to timely specialist support for students with disability and their teachers within schools.

For more information see Integration Funding Support.

Further examples can be found at School funding snapshots.

Reflective questions

Equity loading

Equity loading for Low level adjustment for disability.

• Does our school’s Learning and Support team have an active role in allocating and monitoring the use and impact of this funding?
• How is our school funding allocated to school initiatives, staffing and/or professional learning identified in the Strategic Improvement Plan (SIP)?
• How do we know this funding, these initiatives and staffing professional learning are having the impact we want?
• Does our Strategic Improvement Plan (SIP) include strategies to evaluate the impact of this funding, these initiatives and staff professional learning?

Targeted funding

Targeted funding for Integration Funding Support program.

• What processes are in place to regularly evaluate the adjustments for our students and consider any changes required?
• How are we ensuring parents are actively involved in the ongoing monitoring and evaluation of adjustments and student outcomes?
• What processes are in place to determine whether a school learning support officer (SLSO) is the most appropriate resource or if a teacher would be more appropriate meet the needs of the student?
• How do we ensure successful transition for the student from one year to the next and the continuation of supports ensuring documented knowledge is passed on year to year?